Understanding the climate in Panama requires you to open your mind beyond just thinking of Panama as a tropical country.  If you arrive expecting to experience a tropical rainforest climate throughout the country, you will certainly be in for a surprise!  The temperature in Panama varies from coast to coast and also from the highlands to the sea.

Initially, most visitors experience the Caribbean temperatures as the country’s main airport hub is located on that side.  Arriving in Panama City, visitors will note the warmer and more humid climate that the Caribbean coastal zone is known for year-round.  It will be hot and humid during the day, though rarely at extreme high temperatures.  In the evenings, the temperature will drop and cool breezes will come in from the ocean.  From April to December it is the rainy season, and visitors and residents should thus never be far from an umbrella!

Moving inland, you are also moving up.  This has a dramatic effect on the overall temperature.  Though Panama is closer to the equator, the tropical and wet equatorial weather drops away as you move uphill.  Indeed, up in the mountain regions, such as the popular Boquete area, you will need sweaters or jackets in the evenings.  In the western side in the Cordillera de Talamaca, frosts are not uncommon.  Thus, if you arrive with only your beach gear, you will be in need of a speedy wardrobe upgrade when evening rolls around!

Cooler temperatures are also a feature of the western coast, as the Pacific side of the isthmus doesn’t get as warm as the Caribbean shores.  Evening winds are still the norm for the area, and the months of the rainy season are the same.  However, in general you will find the weather to be less humid and more temperate on the Pacific coast than on the eastern side of the country.

The shifts in climate throughout Panama can make it a challenge for visitors looking for the right thing to wear or pack.  The key for those traveling to multiple areas is to think in layers.  You will want lighter clothes for coastal regions with the option to add on a sweater or light jacket in the evening as the winds come up.  For the mountains, you will want heavier layers, a good sweater, and coats for the winter months.  In all areas of the country, carrying an umbrella or rain jacket during the rainy season will help ensure you stay dry enough to have a wonderful time during your stay in Panama.